Sleep

You are here

Sleep

We all do it! But do we get enough sleep? Read on to find out if you are sleep deprived.

Instructions

Do the preparation task first. Then read the article and do the exercises to check your understanding.

59

Preparation

Sleepy teenagers

It’s official. Teenagers need more sleep than their parents. According to sleep experts, people aged between 10 and 17 need to sleep between 8.5 and 9.25 hours each night. Are you tired at the moment? What time did you go to bed last night? Have you ever fallen asleep in a class? Recent research shows that 25 per cent of the UK population suffer from some sort of sleep disorder and two-thirds of British children may be sleep deprived.

Sleep lessons

Research in Scotland has shown that teenagers are suffering from sleep deprivation which is causing problems with behaviour, concentration and learning. To get nine hours sleep, a teenager needs to go to bed at about 10 p.m. during the school week. However, many young people watch TV till around midnight and then play computer games till late into the night. Teachers in Scotland now give lessons on the importance of sleep to their teenage pupils. The teachers want young people to understand that sleep is very important if you want to do well at school and enjoy your life.

Sleeping habits

People of different ages from around the UK emailed us about their sleeping habits:

I have a strange habit of falling asleep when I watch the television and it usually happens when I am watching something I am really interested in! The television seems to hypnotise me and I doze off really easily. Then when I go upstairs to bed I find I can’t sleep and I usually listen to the radio for hours and hours during the night.Philip, aged 64

I have an eight-month-old baby and a three-year-old so I don’t get much sleep at the moment. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I had a whole night’s sleep. Last night I think I had about five hours, as the baby woke up three times. I work during the day and it can be difficult to stay awake when I haven’t slept much.Clare, aged 35

I read in the paper the other day that most children in Britain don’t sleep enough. They watch TV until late in the evening and then they are really tired at school. I’m a teacher and sometimes in the classes after lunch the students look as if they are about to fall asleep. They yawn a lot and look quite exhausted! Some people say that maybe school should start later for teenagers. I think they might be right.Jag, aged 29

Sleep advice

If you have a sleep problem here is some advice from the sleep experts:

You shouldn’t drink tea or coffee in the evenings.

You should go to bed at the same time every night, even at the weekend.

For more tips on how to get a good night's sleep have a look at these exam study tips.

Discussion

Comments

The lenght of my sleep depends on my schedule at school. If my school doesn't start that early, I usually stay awake late and do some homework or practise for exams. The reason for this is that I have become more active at nights that in the mornings and due to that I am able to study more effectively. I guess I sleep approximately 6-8 hours a night although I sometimes feel myself a little tired.

I always go to bed around 11o’clock after finishing my school work.Although I know it’s not good to stay up late and use midnight oil,I need to study until almost midnight.Because I’m a high school student now.I always get up at 6o’clock.I usually have 7 hours for sleeping a day.After reading this topic,I realize I need to sleep more.That’s why I always doze off on the school bus and yawn in the classroom.

I am very strict with sleep,because I want to sleep too much. In fact,I think I would spend a whole day sleeping. I sleep in a room with my sister,who spend the whole night watching TV,so I can't count the times we have argued about this. However,when the watch goes exactly 10.00,I turn off the TV . Even though I sleep 9 hours,you can find me yawning in the class(hahaha). At the weekend is the same thing.

I usually go to school during school times at 11'o' clock at night and then wake up at 6'o' clock in the morning. Sometimes, I wake up at 5:00 am because I have a lot of homework and if it doesn't get complete at night , I wake up early in the morning and do my work or learn tests etc And I think that waking up early in the morning and doing school tasks is better than to stay awake late at night with sleepy eyes and to do work with almost no attention and devotion! It has been observed that at early morning we are fresh and can learn things more better rather than at night! It has always worked for me.........everyone must try this and then tell if you people feel the difference! ;)

On a school night I usually sleep for 8 hours of longer sometimes. When I get up early in the morning or when I'm in school in the morning I feel exhausted and I yawn all day. I think that I sleep very little because I have practice every day and i still asleep at night to study . In weekends I go to my bed at midnight or later but I get up at 9 or 10 o'clock

I sleep very little time. The worst night - 3,5 hours of the sleep. I felt awful next day at school. Usually I sleep for 6 hours and I don't like it at all. By the way I don't watch TV but spend a lot time doing homework.

On a school night I usually sleep for 8 hours of longer sometimes. When I get up early in the morning or when I'm in school in the morning I feel exhausted and I yawn all day. I don't think I sleep too much or too little. I think it's enough, but sometimes I just want more sleep. Some weekends my sleep habits change and I do really hate that.

How much sleep do you get on a school night?
I sleep for about 6-8 hours on school nights
Do you sleep too much or too little?
if less than 6 hours they are little , more than 8 too much :D
Do your sleep habits change at the weekend?
Yes a lot ! usually I sleep at 10pm or 11pm but in weekends I sleep at 12 am or 1 am

I like to sleep a lot, but I haven't had a good sleep recently. I'm too exhausted of school and daily duties, and sometimes I have to stay late at night for studying, I had a lot of exams and competitions, but now I have less duties, so I can relax in my bed, hug a pillow and dream;). Finally!

During the week I go to sleep at 10:00 but on weekends I fall sleep at midnight or even later but I wake up at 10 o´clock.
If you have problems at the time you go to bed here´s a good advice take a bath with lettuce or just eat some of it. It really hlps. Sweet dreams!

I feel sleepy all the time during the school days .Often i stay awake till midnight because i like reading before going to bed.Most of the time ,i can't get enough from reading and are my parents who remind me that i have to go to school the next day

It is very important for me to have a balanced lifesyle. It means to sleep enough, eight hours every night.
For have a full of energy day and to be cocentrated at things that you propused to do it is necessary to rest more much possible.

in school nights i sleep about 6 hours , in weekends i sleep about 9 hours
and of course my sleep habits change cause in schoole nights i sleep kinda early i sleep from 12am to 6 or 7 am , but in the weekends i sleep too late from 3 or 4 am to 12 pm

During school nights I sleep 6 hours or less.This happens cuz I have tons of home works and I like to participate in other activities,like my Italian course and much,much more...Plus we have many school projects...It's exhausting.I think I don't get enough sleep cuz when I wake up I feel tired and like a train has crushed on me.I love sleeping,but unfortunately I never sleep enough,even during the weekend...